Dead Space: The Titan Chronicles
by AoDragon
Summary: Taking place before and during the outbreak of Titan Station. Untold stories of events Isaac and others may or may not have been aware of during thier ordeals during Dead Space 2 most of it from the perspective of a rookie Titan Security Officer and his partner as they struggle to survive the spreading infection. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

Dead Space: The Titan Chronicles

Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own the Dead Space franchise or series.

In 2508 in illegal mining operation set up by the CEC fell victim to a deadly infection shortly after unearthing an alien artifact, later discovered to be a red marker. Within hours the infection spread throughout the colony consuming and killing everyone shortly after the colony is falls the, the USG Ishimura one of the first and largest planet crackers in its class sent by the CEC to retrieve the marker also became infected and suffered the same fate as the colony. Only a small number of people survived both Aegis VII and the diseased ship and escaped the horror. Sometime after the Aegis VII incident the Earth Government recovers the heavily damaged and abandoned Ishimura and relocates it to the Sprawl where a full investigation is conducted to ascertain what exactly occurred any and all details of the investigations results were classified at the highest levels. To eliminate the rising suspicion after rumors and gossip began spreading everywhere about the real story of the incident, a cover story masking the true nature of the events of the incident as a massive terrorist attack forged by EarthGove was aired galaxy-wide. Three years later on February 27, 2511 the Sprawl's security force is put on high alert after strange system failures occur all over the station mainly, the Government Sector.

 **Chapter 1**

 **A Bad First Day**

 **11 hours Pre-Titan Outbreak:** Bastian Ryder a cadet of Titan Station Security Enforcement Guard arrives at its HQ for his first day on the force, he's approached by a mid-ranked officer assigned to take Bastian under his wing.

"Ah, you must the rookie." [Extends his hand]

"Nice to meet you, sir I'm Bastian Ryder." [Shakes his hand]

"Likewise I'm Lieutenant Charles Matland and I'll be your handler for the next few weeks, hope you got plenty of sleep last night if not well… you'll learn quickly how hectic it gets here."

"I get my sleep, after living here for about a year I've got the gist."

"If you say so come with me." [They start walking]

They walk through the lobby of Sprawl Security going deeper into the building, the Lieutenant gives him a tour of the HQ building then finally shows him to the locker rooms.

"Alright rookie finally we have locker rooms this were you'll keep your issued security suits if you're issued a new form of RIG suit it'll download directly into your account in the system which all the stores are connected to; your RIG will notify you when this happens, all you have to do is step in the store and your RIG does rest." [He explains]

Charles walks to a locker near the Store terminal.

"As you can see your name on this locker here you'll keep your standard uniforms here and when your off duty they'll be taken and sterilized and returned in time for you to change back in them coming back to work."

"Alright."

"Good, well I'll leave you to change and come on out when ready and we'll get today started."

Bastian opens his locker, lays his suit on the bench and places his pack inside. He slips into his uniform, zipping and strapping it up then. Finally taking his helmet from the top part of his locker he puts it on and it automatically links then retracts after it does a system check, he walks out meeting his handler.

"Hey looking good and just in time looks like today we're gonna be busy we got situations brewing in multiple areas here in the public sector."

"What's going on?" [Asked Bastian]

"What isn't going on, dozens of systems have been going haywire and the station technicians and engineers are stretched thin plus there's been sudden outbursts of violence happening near these places and well they're concerned for safety and that has a lot of our men stretched thin… its one big cluster fuck today."

"Well let's get to it."

"We need to stop by the armory and get our rifles first, something tells me we'll need more than our side arms."

They enter the armory to obtain their weapons.

"Kid you were briefed and trained on the new Seeker Rifles right?" [Charles askes]

"Yes sir I scored high on all the weapons training with the entry exams especially the Seeker Rifle." [Takes a Seeker Rifle]

"Dead eye huh, excellent then you and this baby should get along nicely let's move."

[Takes a Pulse Rifle]

 **10 Hours Pre-Outbreak**

They take a transport to meet the technicians at the zones reported to have had strange activities occurring there oddly they arrive seeing no one in sight as they area near the transit hub appears deserted.

"What the hell… hey Woods you read are you sure we have the right place?"

"You're at the waypoint I sent to your locators why?" [RIG Link opens]

"There're supposed to be tech heads meeting us here only nobodies around and I mean nobody, no life signs in range just us."

"That's strange well on the bright side at lets you won't have to worry about people getting rowdy for no apparent reason." [RIG Link closes]

"Well might as well see how badly fucked up the systems are I'll go look around and see if I find anyone."

"Alright."

The rookie opens the panel with his security clearance to find that the sensitive tech inside has been wrecked.

"Damn what did this...?"

He carefully examines the damage hardware as to not get shocked by the electrical sparks. Matland searches the far side halls of the transit hub looking for anyone in the area, he's startled when he thought he caught a glimpse of something running across the hall further away from him. He pushes a button on the lower left side of his helmet that retracts the light blue face visor.

"Titan Security anyone there?" [He calls out]

He cautiously walks to the halls end and finds nothing but a broken vent with bizarre talon-like scratch marks on the entrance's sides and the wall inside going upwards he turns on his shoulder light to see better and then a sudden eerie feeling of him being watched from above in the ventilation opening had him holding still trying to see what it could be. He begins to hear a very faint breathing sound above him and then sees a quad pair of very dim glowing yellow eyes, he rubs his eyes thinking his mind is playing tricks on him and before he can look again to see if it was still there he's startled again at one of the technicians placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Ahh! … Jesus not a good idea to sneak up on a guy with gun."

"Whoa, sorry officer I didn't mean to scare you."

"You the tech heads that should have meet us here?"

"Yeah sorry about that the systems here are computer software and the guys on our shift that handle this stuff got held back so we had to wait but they made it."

"Good my partner's over at the hub."

The techs and Lt. Matland return to the transit hub, the techs look at the damaged hardware in the wall panel.

"What the fuck happened to this I just tuned this system up two days ago?" [One of the specialist exclaimed]

"It looks like someone smashed the hell out of this… I bet my credits it's one of those rock worshipping fuckers from the Cassini Towers three months ago a few of those marker heads from there were caught tampering with another system like this at the Concourse while one of them had the officers patrolling there distracted."

"I heard about that thankfully they caught on to them and stopped and arrested them before they could anything." [Matland replied]

"Well this thing is shot to hell its gonna have to be fully replaced." [Said the specialist]

"Alright I'll call it into the home office." [The tech answered]

"I swear those damn unitologist have no respect for us, we work our ass's of to maintain this damn station and they try to tamper and sabotage it fucking dicks."

"Let it go Josh." [Said the tech]

"Well we got other stuff we got to do today, you guys need any more help?"

"I don't think so as you can see not much to worry about that begs the question were the hell I everyone this time of day this place is teaming with people going back and forth from public to GoveSec."

"I don't know this past few weeks have been odd… anyway would mind reporting that broken vent we saw to?" [Matland inquired]

"Sure no problem."

"Alright thanks be safe."

"Matland, Woods here we got another situation we need you guys to look into." [RIG Link opens]

"Go head Woods what is it?"

"In the Government Sector near the core systems there's some kind of altercation going on there and someone reported that two individuals started fighting and they're both armed with dangerous tools and it's probably only a matter of time before they cause an accident or worse, they want someone to go and help break it up before it gets more violent."

"Okay we're on our way the tram hub we're at now can take us there."

"Your clearances should let you stop at the facilities attached to the crossover tubes to give you guys a few short cuts to the Shard." [Said Woods]

"Thanks Woods."

"By the way how's the rookie doing?"

"It's only been a few hours since he officially started hasn't seen much stuff yet but I'm sure he will with the crap that happens on this station."

"Good well get a move on I'd rather avoid processing any serious stuff like an altercation gone very wrong."

"On the move." [RIG Link closes]

Both board the tram to the Government Sector and stop half way at the dock point of the crossover tube connecting to the Shard where core systems are housed, they arrive and make haste for the area where the altercation was reported but again to their surprise no one was in sight.

"Woods we're here and there's nobody in sight I'm checking the RIG scans and Rookie and I and one other RIG are the only ones here."

"What… that's not possible I was still reading them a few seconds ago." [Perplexed]

"Looks like there hasn't been anyone here for a while there are few workers a few levels and sub sectors ahead of us but no one in this sector."

"What about that third RIG signal is it still nearby?"

"Yes but I can't ID the RIG there's a block on it." [Said Bastian]

"Anything that can block or anonymize ones RIG anywhere on any system in the galaxy has to be black market very illegal stuff."

 **9 Hours Pre-Outbreak**

Suddenly half of the lighting systems in the shard shuts off and an emergency alarm blears as many doors slam shut locking themselves.

"Woods!?" [Matland exclaimed]

"Somethings happening half the lower facilities of GoveSec and the crossover tubes has malfunctioned!"

"What… how?"

"I was tracking that third RIG after the power went out it started moving very quickly, I back traced its movements back to three server rooms its seems there were power cables there in those rooms that were severed I'm guessing someone purposely sabotaged the systems there."

"Why do I get feeling those marker heads have a hand in this like that tech they were caught a few times tampering with Sprawl systems but why would they do it?" [Matland thought]

"I'm picking up a RIG Link from Director Tiedemann to that third RIG listen to this." [Taps into the transmission]

"Attention RIG# 438642 this is Director Tiedemann in the public sector, we've traced recent acts of sabotage to your suit Identify yourself!"

"Uhh… call me Vandal, look listen they didn't tell me what would happen I just did what the church told me now the bastards left me for dead out here so screw them alright I'll even testify if you want me to."

"I don't think my colleagues will accept that, you've caused a lot of trouble but there's a way to make up for the damage you've done the emergency quarantine seal on cross over tube A has malfunctioned and as an engineer you have the tools to repair it."

"Isn't there someone on your side that can do it, I'm fighting for my life down here?"

"Your much closer then anyone from the public sector, if you're truly remorseful this is your chance to show it, repair that seal and keep those monsters from reaching the population it may even gain you some leniency assuming you survive, now hurry!"

"Those sons of bitches the unitologist are responsible for this but why what are they after?"

Before any of them could say anything a Slasher breaches out of a vent.

"What fuck is that!?" [Bastian exclaims]

It charges at them violently as it tries to smite them both but they dodge it and its pincers scrap the floor instead.

"Shoot it, shoot it!"

They both fire upon the Slasher but the shots barely phase it and it still moves close to them, it runs up to Bastian and rams him of his feet knocking his Seeker Rifle out of his reach into a locker forcing it open and causing a Plasma Cutter to fall out and land in front of him and in between the Slasher. Matland shoots it more succeeding in getting its attention only to be lashed on his arm when it dashed up to him with alarming speed, it redirects its focus back to Bastian and as it moves closer to him he scurries for the Plasma Cutter as it lunges at him determined to kill him. He grabs it and blasts one of its upper limbs off by the skin of his teeth knocking it back a few steps it tries to lunge at him a second time but it fails as he shoots off both of its legs, he finishes it off by shooting off its last upper limb and finally to ensure it stays dead he shoots off its head the Slasher lets out a loud roar as it dies. Bastian runs to his partner who leans' up against the wall breathing heavily and clutching his arm as it bleeds.

"Matland… Hey are you okay!?"

"Ah… damn that thing got me pretty good!" [As examines his wound]

"That's a nasty laceration hold stay here keep pressure on that."

"Okay." [Labored]

Bastian opens a wall locker containing first aid supplies he takes gauze and wraps it securely around his arm stopping the bleeding until he can get medical attention. Matland looks at his arm after Bastian finishes tying the gauze.

"Hey nice job glad you know your stuff."

"Thanks my dad was a EMT he taught me a lot of his stuff growing up."

"Damn that hurt it almost pierced right through my arm."

"Matland… Matland anyone there!?"

"We're here Woods." [Bastian answered]

"Thank god what happened I lost your signal?"

"We were attacked there's something here in the station creatures, monsters they're everywhere they're killing everyone in the and beyond the shard."

"Creatures?"

"Hold on I'm sending you a feed." [Said Bastian]

Bastian scans the slasher's corpse and sends the information to Woods.

"I got it… oh my god what the hell is it?" [Disturbed]

"We're not sure but they are extremely hostile Matland got hurt by the damn thing I treated the wound as best I can but he needs medical assistance, and getting out of here is gonna be tough there are a lot of these things here and because of that Vandal character half the area here is locked down." [Said Bastian]

"Don't worry I a few stuff up my sleeves that can do to get guys out."

"Okay, we'll try to get back to the crossover tube and back to the tram line." [Said Matland]

"Be safe both of you."

"Roger that." [Both]


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The Outbreak

Ryder finishes bandaging up Matlands wound and they get ready to possibly fight their way back to the crossover tube.

"Woods how's the work on the lockdown?" [Asked Bastian]

"I managed to open a few doors that'll take you back to the crossover tubes, but you have to hurry the security protocols there will soon overwrite my stuff trying to contain those things."

"What about EarthGove, knowing Tiedemann I'm willing to bet he's gonna try to keep this under wraps." [As the door opens and start walking]

"I've been monitoring the military transmissions he's ordered the rest of the station security to be on high alert in the public sector, he's especially ordered two of our squads, Security Teams Alpha and Bravo to the mines beneath Gove Sec."

"Col. Bartlett's team?" [Matland inquired]

"Yeah I believe Sargent Weller is with them."

"Why down there?" [Bastian asked]

"I'm not sure I'm concerned it might those things."

They make it to the crossover tube and take the tram back to the public sector, during the ride the tram stopped in it's tracks and the lights go out. They stand in the dark with only the light from their visors to see.

"God damn it as if we don't have enough trouble already." [Said Matland]

"Auxiliary power should kick in…"

Ryder is interrupted when roars coming from both directions put them both on guard. Slashers suddenly appear and run towards the two. They empty clip after clip fending off the horde until they kill the remaining necromorphs but out of nowhere two Pukers jump them both knocking them to the ground. They struggle to get them off themselves while trying desperately to avoid the acid-like liquid coming out their deformed melted mouths. The necromorph on top of Bastion rips off his helmet and forces his mouth open vomiting in his mouth burning the flesh on his face off with him screaming in pain, suddenly in the blink of an eye they find themselves back where they started in the core system they look confused.

"What… what the hell just happened!?"

Bastian feels his face for what he thought he experienced his face getting burned off but realizing his face is fine.

"I… I don't know?" [Bastian stands flummoxed]

"Guys do read me!?"

"Woods?"

 **6 Hours Pre-Outbreak**

"What the hell happened to you two I've been trying to get your attention for three hours straight!?"

"What are you talking about, we were just being attacked on the tram!?" [Matland confused]

"No… you guys were unresponsive… I pulled up a vid link and you two were just standing there like you were in a trance doing nothing for three hours." [Woods explained]

"What the fuck… so what, were we imagining it?"

"You must have been; my readout say you didn't more at all either."

"It felt real… I swear we there."

"Well you weren't I have to find you guys another way the system there overwrote my commands a few hours ago and sealed the doors thankfully the lockdown timer is about to hit zero for this area, however the tram's not there anymore it got called back about an hour ago to the hub."

"Okay, um hear anything from Alpha or Bravo team in the mines?" [Both start walking down the hallway]

"How did you know that?"

"What?"

"How did you know that they were there?"

"You said they were dispatched there by Tiedemann because of a disturbance?"

"That's true but I didn't say anything about Alpha and Bravo team, all I said was that the lock down was about to go offline… are you guys sure you're okay?"

"Yeah we'll sort it out later we need to get back."

"The titan mines are a huge place; they're still investigating there but so far haven't reported anything out of the ordinary… okay I found another route sending it to your waypoints."

"Thanks… what about that Vandal guy did he get to and fix the quarantine seal?"

"No not yet but he's close to it, surprisingly those things haven't tried breaking through yet, but Director Tiedemann contacted him again told him pick up the pace because apparently there's some stuff going down in the public sector."

Matland carefully checks his corners looking for any hostiles.

"What's happening?"

[Woods was quiet]

"Woods hey you hear me?"

"Yes sorry I just got a report that some unitologist near one of the schools just killed himself, he slid his throat right in front a few kids." [Disturbed]

"Jesus in front of children?" [Said Bastian]

"Yeah the kids were pretty shaken up a lot them went home with their parents and there's another one with a few CEC guys that were found hanging."

"What's going on with everyone on this station ever since that big project at Gove Sec started people have been losing it?"

Bastian and Matland stop when they hear men screaming nearby they ready their guns and run to assist.

"We'll call you back there's someone in trouble." [Said Matland]

"Alright I'll see what else is happening." [Both start running down the hall]

They unfortunately arrive too late and to find two men dead on the floor both with a large hole in their chests. The single one alive was trapped in a locked room where they can see him through a window struggling to get an infector off of him as it tries to stick its sharp proboscis in his head.

"Shit we have to help him help open pry this open!"

Bastian grabs hold of the door and both try to get it open as best they can but barely budges.

"Damn it the doors jammed!"

The man in the other room is forced up against the window then falls to the floor. They both hear him scream even louder than silence followed by gurgling, Matland looks through the window and sees the creature was impaled his forehead with its proboscis, soon after the body begins twitching and shaking as it turns into a new slasher growling in an unworldly manner.

"Holy fuck… these things are people." [Matland disturbed]

Matland jumps out of the way as it bursts through the window and Infector rushes to a vent. Bastian easily kills it before it can charge at them shooting off a leg then both its upper limbs.

"Did I hear you right these things were human?" [Bastian's RIGLink pops up]

"Yeah we just saw a guy turn into one of them, there was something else…"

"I know I saw it I'm still processing it."

"If these things can make those other things from both living and dead bodies then the whole Sprawl is at risk."

"Guys I just got word from that situation in the mines."

"Let my guess, those thing are there too?"

"Yes Alpha and Bravo team just engaged hostiles from what I heard they are the same things."

"Any casualties?"

"Yes a lot at least 50 total and counting most of them are miners and few of the other squads have flat lined."

"Shit… come on." [To Bastian]

"How far are we from another tram?"

"Not far keep following the waypoint, the tram there is for emergencies so it shouldn't be able to be called civilians only you guys and personnel here in the shards can use it."

"Any chance the personnel here would have used it to get out of here?"

"Yes but after it lets them off it auto returns back to that station."

"Okay."

 **1 Hour Pre-Outbreak**

They make it to the tram station, Matland shoots a large door's control panel closing it keeping a horde of necromorphs rushing towards the area on the other side out from following.

"That should hold them for a… ah fucking hell the tram's not here!"

"We missed it by 15 minutes a group of survivors used it to go to the public sector good news already on its way back ETA about 2 minutes."

"Shit we have to hold out here."

Both ready their rifles aiming at the door startled at the sound of the necromorphs banging on the door.

"Lets hope that door holds." [Said Matland]

"I'm low on ammo, I have… two clips left and that crowd out there is huge." [Said Bastian]

"How many for the plasma cutter?"

"Just one clip and only enough energy for three more shots."

Bastian scans the room and spots a vent.

"I sure hope they don't grow a brain and use that vent."

"Same here though let's not tempt fate… ah fuck."

"Wound hurting?"

"Yeah, fuck it itches." [Trying not to scratch his arm]

They are startled again but a large outward dent that's made on the door from the other side followed by chirping like sounds and screaming.

"How much longer." [Anxious]

"It's coming 40 seconds."

A second later another few bangs on the door makes the dent larger, then two infectors burst out the vent forth at them both quickly kill them.

"Guess you guys where late on not tempting fate."

"Woods not now!"

The tram finally arrived at the station, both quickly board the car and leave back to the public sector before they break through.

"Ah fuck that was close you okay kid?"

"I'll live." [Sits down]

"Hell of a first day at work huh?"

"Not what I was expecting, that's for damn sure how's your arm?"

"It's bleeding again."

"Stress and high BP will do that, let me see."

Matland sits next to him and he examines his arm then unwraps the bandages and rewraps his arm with clean gauze, Woods contacts them on Bastian's RIG Link.

"You guys still kicking?"

"Yeah it was close but yeah on our way back to the public sector, how are things over there?"

"Not good well not at the public sector but at the mines most of Bartlett's team along with two other teams have been whipped out!"

"What… any survivors?"

"It looks like only three Col. Bartlett, Cpl. Price, and Sgt. Weller."

"Shot can you raise them?"

"No too much interference."

Suddenly both along with Woods receives a transmission on channels reserved for the station security and military.

"This is Director Tiedemann to all personnel I want the key subjects terminated and the facility scrubbed this is not a drill Tiedemann out."

"Key" subjects what the hell is he talking about?" [Said Woods]

"I have no idea "key subjects" do they want us to hunt down and kill someone?" [Asked Bastian]

"Oh my god guys you won't believe what happened!"

"Try us." [Said Bastian]

"The crossover tube doors have been jammed open the powers out on all of them, those things are swarming in them and moving to the public sector!"

"What…show us!?" [Matland exclaimed]

Woods sends them a map of the Sprawl's crossover tubes; they see vast numbers of red dots representing the necromorphs rushing into the tubes most of them through Tube A.

"Oh my god." [Shocked]

"There's so many of them there has got to be at least hundreds of them and more still swarming in."

"What happened, I thought that saboteur was going to fix the quarantine seal?"

"That's just it he made it to the crossover tube controls but he had no idea what he was doing, he shut down the power while operations where in mid process it fucked the system up and jammed open all the doors."

"I'll bet Tiedemann is pretty pissed if he doesn't know already."

"If he ordered these key subjects to be executed then he knows come to think of it what's special about these subjects, who are they?"

"I've heard some rumors just yesterday I was surfing the net and I came across a government conspiracy site and someone anonymously posted a story about what happened on Aegis VII and the USG Ishimura, I didn't get to read all of it, half way through the site it got blocked by the station's IT."

"I heard of that but I didn't think much of it?"

"What did you see there?"

"Um the word going around is that apparently the colonist on Aegis VII found something horrible buried there and hours later some engineer knocked out the gravity tethers from the planet crack and basically dropped the whole payload on top of whatever it was, If I recall I think the engineer's name was Isaac… Isaac something can't remember his last name."

"Interesting I'm gonna look into something I'll keep you guys posted."

"Alright we're almost at the public sector."

"Okay heads up its crazy here Tiedemann ordered a complete evacuation of the Sprawl and people are rioting and well it's a breakdown of social order." [Woods explained]

"An evacuation doesn't sound like a bad idea seeing the current situation." [Said Matland]

"Anything from the survivors at the mines?"

"Bartlett and Weller are still kicking but Price flat lined a while ago."

"Should have expected that no one else made it." [Said Matland]

"Arriving at Public Sector." [Tram computer announced]

"Finally at least we had time to catch our breaths."

Bastian is overcome by a headache then an eerie voice similar to his own speaks as if whispering in his ears as his vision becomes a deep yellowish color.

"It's calling to you; to us It needs our help it needs you we must make it whole."

His vision returns to normal after the voice finishes speaking, Matland notices his partner.

"Hey kid you okay?" [He asked]

"Yeah I thought I…" [He replies]

"Thought what?"  
"Never mind let's go something tells me this is going to be a long and tougher day then its already been."

"Right with you."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The Outbreak Part 2

After arriving from the core systems they find the Transport Hub littered with dead bodies and puddles of blood everywhere, they cautiously make their way across the area staying as quiet as possible while hearing the numerous roars of necromorphs and the panicking screams of civilians fleeing the the evac routes.

"My god, what a fucking mess." [Said Matland]

"Woods how far have these things spread since breaching crossover tubes?"

"It's bad, about 57% of the public sector is showing signs of infection and its rising quickly."

"Already."

"Yes and every few seconds more and more civilians and station personnel are flat lining across the board and most of them are returning as those things, on the bright side a great many people have been evacuated but there's still lot stragglers that missed the evac transports trying to get to gove sect, a few of our officers are there escorting them."

"Okay how far?" [Asked Bastian]

"It's a long walk, near Crossover Tube B."

They take an elevator down a few levels.

"Are you and the others safe at the station?" [Asked Matland]

"No we had to relocated to a secure area it should be safe for now but those things are spreading everywhere I'm not optimistic it'll keep them out indefinably."

"Alright we're gonna go to the station to stock up on ammo and gear then we'll catch up to the group."

"Understood."

They move quickly through the commons as best they can without attracting attention.

"Any more orders from Tiedemann besides killing these "key subjects"?" [Asked Matland]

"No not much else other than heavily fortifying the entrances to gove sect with his personal soldiers, I got an update on the key subjects there's only two left running around, Isaac Clarke and Noland Stross."

They stop for a moment.

"Isaac Clarke?" [Said Bastian]

"That sounds familiar is that the guy's name you couldn't remember?" [Asked Matland]

"Yeah it is."

"I looked him up he's a CEC systems engineer, everything on him in the last three years has been blocked out but the most recent thing of him was the last job he took which was three years ago, it was a repair mission in response to a distress call from the USG Ishimura." [Said Woods]

"You think what's happening here what happened at Aegis VII… that would make sense for the government to cover it up?" [Asked Matland]

"That's what I was thinking too, that article I read the other night."

"This is getting interesting seems like they did find something might explain way the system was restricted in the first place."

"Well they never gave a good reason way entry there was illegal." [Said Woods]

"We're almost at the station we need to move we shouldn't stay in any place too long." [Bastian advised]

"Agreed."

After half hour they finally reach the station security HQ, upon entering they find it completely deserted. They make their way through the halls till they make it to the armory, they restock up on ammo Bastian reloads his Seeker Rifle and takes up a Plasma Rifle Matland does the same.

"Just to be on the safe side we should put on better gear." [Looking at the Micro Store]

"Good idea there're more strong and better versions of our suits in there plus if we have to go outside in the vacuum or there's a decompression we'll last longer."

Bastian and Matland enter the stores and choose their suits, seconds later he emerges out of the inner chambers both wearing Elite Security Suits.

"Nice, very nice these'll do us good." [Said Matland]

"Aren't these the ones the SWAT team use?" [Bastian inquired]

"Yeah these are the toughest and best ones available to station police."

"Looks like we're set, Woods you still there?"

"I'm here Charles … hey listen I'd like you guys to check something out at the hospital near you."

"Titan Memorial Medical Center?" [Asked Bastian]

"Yeah I thought I detected both Bartlett and Weller's RIG signals there, there was three other ones too."

"Who are they?"

"One is Gabriel's wife Lexine Weller and the other two, it's strange there are no names, no RIG ID's I think those two have ID blocks on them."

"Those are illegal for civilian use that type of software and tech is only available for the military and the government agencies." [Matland stated]

"Yeah and who ever those two are, they have Lexine Weller with them and Gabriel appears to be following them, I think he's chasing them he and her heart rates are high but Bartlett he's not doing too good he's vital signs are very low."

"Well let's go we should find whatever survivors we can take them to the safe zones at gove sect, let's haul ass."

Unknown to them as the make way to the hospital Gabe Weller fights his way through an onslaught of necromorphs trying to reach his wife who has been abducted by two unknown men.

"Woods can you contact Sergeant Weller?"

"I'm trying but something's jamming most transmissions were he is I think it might be those two RIGs."

"Copy keep trying."

After fighting a large hoard of Packs and Slashers Gabe finally break though and enters the hospital's hanger.

"Gabe!" [Shouted Lexine]

"Lexine run!"

The two men that abducted Lexine quickly turn into Twitchers and attack Gabe. He easily kills them and Infectors.

"Gabe you're still alive I can't believe you're here, I thought you were dead."

"Lex, get that ship ready for takeoff."

"I'll try."

"Warning security lockdown; the hospital bulkheads are protected from unauthorized overrides by standard by stand-alone fuse relays."

"I'm going to have to force the airlock open form out here, stay in the ship you don't have a suit for the vacuum."

Gabe hacks the terminal controlling the hanger doors half through he's ambushed by Colonel Bartlett who activates a grenade.

"Just… following… orders."

Gabe wrestles him trying to get the grenade away from him but it detonates, the explosion obliterates Bartlett's body completely and blows off Gabe's lower right leg leaving him hemorrhaging on the floor.

"Lex, Bartlett set off grenade."

"Oh my god!"

"I'm not going to make it."

"No, that's not possible!"

"I can blow the bay doors for you from out here… you can get away… you and the baby, I love you Lex."

"Gabe…" [Voice breaks]

"I love you." [Weakly]

Gabe slowly destroys each of the fuse locks on the hanger doors while trying to stay alive long enough to let his wife escape. Matland and Bastian managed to fight their most of the way to the hanger when they hear an emergency alarms that the hanger doors were about to fail.

"What's that?"

"Decompression warning something's going down at the hanger we need to hurry!"

Gabe destroys the last fuse and the necromorphs in the hanger are flushed out, Lexine's shuttle launches while Gabe says his final farewell to his love.

"Goodbye Lex… I love you."

Lexine screams for him to answer her, believing her husband's dead she covers her face weeping as her shuttle speeds away from the Sprawl.

Matland and Bastian run through the cargo bay littered with dead necromorph corpses, they enter the hanger after it's done equalizing the pressure. They see Gabe Weller lying motionless on the ground with large puddle of blood under him.

"Weller!" [Matland yelled]

"Is he alive?"

"I… I don't know his RIG is damaged."

Matland feels his neck for a pulse.

"I'll be damned he's alive but barely."

"I'll see if I can stop the bleeding." [Said Bastian]

Bastian takes some tubing that he finds on the floor then he ties it around the wound where Gabe's leg was blown off stopping the bleeding. Gabe groans out pain when the final knot is tightened.

"I've stopped the bleeding but he needs transfusion he's lost too much blood."

"Guys you read me?" [Asked Woods]

"Woods we found Sergeant Weller he's hurt bad he needs immediate medical attention."

Matland removes Gabe's fractured helmet.

"Well we're in luck there are some of our SWAT guys that survived near you, when they get to you guys will go with them to the rendezvous point with other survivors, don't worry they have medics with them."

"Finally some good news." [Matland sighed]

"Yeah maybe I'll see guys soon we'll finish up here with some stuff and we'll try to make our way to the rendezvous."

"Good how are things right now at the government sector?" [Bastian asked]

"Tiedemann's men are prepping the civilians for evacuation."

"Anything on that Saboteur or those two remaining subjects?" [Asked Matland]

"Noting on that Vandal yet but there was some activity going on at the Church of Unitology, Isaac Clarke is there somewhere and possibly Nolan Stross too… huh it seems there a gunship tracking them guess Tiedemann really wants them dead."

"What's he thinking that's the last place I'd want to be during this shit since those marker head bastards caused this?"

"He's been talking to someone lately."

"That Stross guy?"

"Him and someone else I can't tell who it is it goes on a private channel so I can't listen in."

"Hmm." [Matland grunted to himself]

The doors open behind them and their back arrives.

"Good the teams are here."

"Alright they should be able to stabilize Weller till you guys get back to gove sect."

"We'll see you soon." [Deactivates his com]

The medics tend to Gabe as they prepare to meet up with the rest of the surviving civilians and station police.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Cat and Mouse Part 1

Later after meeting up with the band of survivors, Bastian and Matland are separated from the group when necromorphs attack. They unknowingly find themselves near the station's Church of Unitology, both remember Isaac Clarke heading towards the area, they're forced to take a route to their objective that leads through the church. They hit a few necromorphs ambushes along the way, when they come to an observation they deck witness an EarthGov gunship firing into the tower at the top of the church.

"What the hell is going on over there?" [Bastian wondered]

"Let's go we need to keep moving." [Said Matland]

Upon reaching the end of the deck and onto the next section, both see the same gunship at a lower part of the church's exterior firing at an unseen target. Then a large necromorph flies out the side landing on the gunship's underside. Matland does a scan on the person with the creature.

"ID confirmed Patient four: Clarke, Isaac terminate with extreme prejudice." [Matland's of their RIG announced]

Then the gunship suddenly explodes launching Isaac threw a window in the residential areas and seconds later the same necromorph is thrown towards them, both jump down off the upper area as the Tormentor crashes through the glass roughly landing below them.

"Hall breach rectified." [PA system]

The Tormentor bashes the collapsed bridge off itself and rises roaring at its new prey, its missing arm regenerates then lunges at them.

"The fuck is that thing?!" [Bastian exclaimed]

"Just shoot it!"

Their shots reflect off its thick armor as it moves towards them.

"That armor is too thick this isn't working run!"

They run down a hallway with it not far behind them, Matland falls to the floor having injured his leg when they jumped earlier. Bastian notices a few fuel tanks and shots them when the beast got close enough to them, the explosion stuns it long enough for them to escape.

"Come on I got you." [Helps him up]

They find a storage room and hide inside while the Tormentor prowls around for them.

"Thanks… ah fuck my leg first my arm now my god damn leg." [Hushed]

"Can you walk?"

"Yeah I just need a moment."

The necromorph gives up its search and leaves the area.

"Okay I think it's gone."

He opens the door seeing the beast has gone away but as he turns back into the room a Slasher pins him to the floor and violently stabs him with its bladed pincers, but in a blink he's standing up again in the doorway.

"Kid you okay?"

"Y-yeah had another hallucination."

Bastian looks down the hall they ran from seeing a figure staring at him, upon focusing his vision he comes the eerie realization the figure looks exactly like himself. The double figure looks as he does wearing the same outfit but darker with pale skin having no eyes, only black eye sockets that wept blood. Matland notices Ryder's trance-like state induced by his fear, he gets up calling to him but doesn't answer.

"Kid what's wrong… kid."

[He finally answers]

"Please tell me you see that."

"See what?" [Looking in the same direction]

"Him." [Points]

"Kid there's no once there."

Right then Ryder's vision fluctuates in yellow and orange and the man disappears.

"Okay Bastian your starting to worry me."

"Believe me I'm starting to worry myself, come on let's go before that thing decides to come back."

They continue onward to through the church avoiding heavily damaged and infested areas.

"Hey, that guy you said you saw what did he look like?"

Bastian was silent feeling uncomfortable about the encounter.

"He looked just like me but he… he looked like he was dead."

"That's creepy try to shut it out, ignore it."

"Thanks."

"Okay we should be close, according to the waypoint it shouldn't be too much further."

[Matland's RIGLink opens]

"Lieutenant Matland why have you not returned to Government Sector?"

"Director Tiedemann what can we do for you?"

"You can explain why you're not here where we need you."

"We're out here escorting survivors were moving to the crossover tubes as we speak."

"How noble of you don't not take too long lieutenant otherwise you'll join the dead."

"With all due respect Director what the fuck is that supposed to mean?" [Matland questioned]

"Exactly as it sounds Isaac Clarke and Noland Stross are still running about and they pose a grave threat to our operations, if you see either one of them you are to shoot them on sight, is that understood."

"And what exactly are these operations that two people can ruin so badly?"

"That's classified, apart from them the outbreak is spiraling out of control and it must be contained if you and the stragglers are not here in under half an hour you will be trapped there."

"Yes Tiedemann… [RIGLink closes] bastard."

"Not a big fan of him?"

"Hardly anyone on this station is."

The Tormentor thrashes out from a pile of rubble behind them, both instinctively run away.

"Damn it this thing again!?"

"We have to kill this thing if its following us we can't lead it back to the group or Gov Sect!"

"Agreed, I recognize this area there's a trash compactor here!"

They split up, Bastian distracts and lures the Tormentor while Matland gets the compactor operational.

"Alright everything looks good I have to be here to activate it you need to get in the chamber!"

The beast manages to grab Bastian and throw him across the hall hitting the hall hard, he struggles to recover and it moves close to him as it drools with hunger. Then an injured red haired woman emerges from a darkened hall armed with a plasma cutter shooting its back gaining its attention.

"Over here ugly bitch!" [She taunts]

It goes after her instead as it lunges at her she quickly stasis it and runs to Bastian's aid.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah thanks." [As she helps him]

Both quickly move as the stasis wears off and its momentum builds up again.

"Bastian you alright?"

"Yes get ready its coming our way!"

They make it back to the compactor station luring the beast into the crush chamber. The creature peeks into the chamber gazing at them after a few seconds it charges at them, both stasis it and run out of the chamber.

"Matland now!"

The compactor activates slamming down on the creature after it broke free of stasis only managing to get its head out though the door, the entire machine acts as a guillotine crashing its body and decapitating the Tormentor. Its severed head flails about hemorrhaging blood till it finally stops moving. The woman picks it up with kinesis and hurls it into the chamber where its crushed with the rest if its body.

"Nice work looks like we won't be seeing this bitch anymore, so who might you be?"

"Karrie… Karrie Norton, engineer."

"Lieutenant Charles Matland this is Private Bastian Ryder."

"Your hurt." [Bastian notices her injuries]

"Yeah long story but I'm okay for now… so do you guys mind if tag along?"

"Of course we haven't seen much other survivors lately it's nice to see another."

"Thank you."

They leave the area to rendezvous with their group.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Respite

Minutes later they reach the crossover tube to find the survivors waiting, they waste no time in boarding the tram leaving the public sector behind.

"Woods have you guys made it back to Gov Sec?"

"Yes we lost two people but we made it, how is Weller?"

"Not good he's lost as least two pints but he's stable for now."

"That's some good news, when you guys get here a med team will be waiting to take care of him."

"Good, I know it's bad but what's the situation?"

"Well, Tiedemann is still hounding those two fugitives and on the side preparations for evacuation are almost finished shouldn't be long now."

"Alright we'll be there soon."

"Okay see you soon."

Bastian sits across form Karrie who leans against the window.

"Hey you okay?"

"Yes I'm just resting my eyes; I've been running around the station for a while."

"Are you sure you're okay those wounds…"

"Yeah I'll live; I was concerned at first but it's not as bad as I thought I was."

"What happened to you?" [Curious]

"I was fighting a very big and ugly mother fucker, I beat it but I dropped my guard and it got a lucky lunge at me."

"Matland and I have had a few hardships today too."

"Given the situation that's should be an overstatement, so you a rookie?"

"Yep first day." [Sighs]

"Any regrets yet?" [Laughs]

"Not sure yet, can't say it hasn't been interesting…"

He looks to her right at the window catching sight of a reflection behind him, he focuses and looks a little closer realizing it's the same person he saw in a hallway. Karrie notices him staring at something behind her, she looks over her shoulder but sees nothing.

"Bastion you okay?"

He remains silent as he looks behind him to find nothing there then looks at the same place behind her again and no longer sees the person.

"Yes I'm fine."

"You're seeing things aren't you?"

"Have you?"

"Yeah a few times… it stopped with me but I still hear things now and then mostly faint whispers."

The tram finally makes it to the final stop they are met by a squad of soldiers and a great many other survivors. As they steadily enter the Government Sector the crowd is startled when a near blinding beam is fired, Matland and Bastian run to the overlook.

"What is that?" [Bastian asked]

"That's the solar beam, it used to power the station back in the day before the reactor was built." [Said Matland]

"Tiedemann, he's severing the tram lines to keep the infection from getting here."

"Don't know what good that'll really do the infection started here." [Said Karrie]

"What?" [Matland asked]

"Um… nothing I'm just thinking out loud."

Their side of the station is rattled when the final line connecting the two halves.

"Attention all EarthGov personal, preparations for evacuation are complete all secondary personal are to direct all evacuees to their transports immediately Tiedemann out."

"Lieutenant Matland Private Ryder Director Tiedemann demands your presence follow me."

As they walk to the command center Bastian again sees the disturbing apparition of himself standing in the middle of the crowd of people waiting to board the transports, he accidentally walks into a tall man exiting the command center.

"Watch where you're going."

"Sorry."

"Kid you seeing things again?"

"Yeah it was nothing but that was a very tall guy."

"General Titan… the hell's he doing here?"

"Who he?" [Karrie asked]

"He's a one of the high generals of the military well respected, word has it that's he's with some elite branch of the government."

"He's much more then that with them Charles but the details of that are far above your pay grades." [Said Tiedemann]

"No sir we haven't seen Isaac Clarke or Noland Stross."

"That's exactly why I called you here, the three of them as we speak are still trying to get here they must be stopped."

"Three of them who's the third person?"

"Who she is not irrelevant but if you must know her name is Ellie Langford a CEC pilot she's not important only the two she's with."

"You severed the station in half what else is there to worry of them?"

"Do not underestimate him, he's persistent and clever now… I want you two to track them down and eliminate them they cannot be allowed to reach this place."

"Tiedemann I've worked here as long as you have and I have been loyal to you for years so I think for that you owe that much to tell me why the hell are those two so important."

"True you have been favorable asset… very well."

Tiedemann orders everyone out of the room save the three, shutters come down providing them privacy.

"You no doubt have heard the rumors of Aegis VII, I know you Ryder were searching it yesterday morning on the web before we blocked it."

"This is what we've been working on."

A hologram of the Marker rises from the table lighting up the room with a red hue.

"It's real, the thing those rock worshippers revere?" [Said Matland]

"This one we created through special means."

"The "key subjects"?" [Said Bastian]

"Yes… Noland Stross had a hand in its creation but it was Isaac Clarke who had the entirety of the schematics for us to create it."

"If this thing is responsible for what's happening here and what happened on the Ishimura why the hell make this thing?"

"For the marker generates… power limitless power."

"Jesus." [Matland sighs to himself]

"How long do you suppose before humanity suffers through another crisis like the resource wars, the energy crisis is still an issue plaguing us today and how long before it gets worse… planet cracking put us back on track but how long will much longer will the fruits of that labor keep?"

"And you think what's happened is worth what this thing offers?"

"The markers power is controllable under the correct conditions, what happened here was a lapses caused by the unitologist more primarily by the actions of a certain someone who was under their command." [Hans looks towards Karrie]

"Karrie?" [Said Bastian]

"Yes your friend here… or maybe you might know her better as Vandal, the systems that she destroyed in the Shard compromised the containment measures that kept things in order."

[Turns off the hologram and the shutters retract]

"With the progress we've made in the marker Isaac and Stross can jeopardize it all, now if that's all you need to know I still have work to do, you have your assignment now do it."

[As they exit they are met by Woods]

"I take it Tiedemann told you about…"

"Yes he did."

"Alright look I made a mistake I trusted them and I fucked up bad."

"What gave you that idea the thousands of people that are dead and walking now."

"Cut it out Woods." [Said Matland]

"Who in fucking right mind would even think to join psychopaths that worship a rock its right there on the wall it just spells crazy."

"Maybe I wasn't thinking, maybe I was blind and stupid at the very least I tried to fix what I did while others would've cut and ran from it."

"Didn't get very far did you?" [Antagonized]

"Woods shut up." [Bastian snapped]

"Fine I'm sorry I have a lot of friends a few family that were here and they didn't make it."

"We're all on edge it's been a long chaotic day but we have to keep it together."

"This doesn't feel right I mean markers, they are willing to risk stuff like this happening just to give humanity a brighter future."

"We don't have time to think about this now, according to the RIG network those three are still out there."

"Where are they now?"

"Looks they near the Ishimura but where's…"

Suddenly the entire sector and the moon itself is shaken violently as if in an earthquake, the remaining civilians panic at the event as alarms sound off.

"Report what the hell is going on!" [Tiedemann shouted]

"The Ishimura's centrifuge has been activated the tethers have anchored onto the moon!" [One of the techs replied]

"Clarke." [Dials Isaac comm channel]

Matland gets to the window overlooking the moon and the rest of the station floating away into deep space spotting the Ishimura.

"Clarke you idiot, those gravity tethers will tear the whole moon apart Clarke are you listening to me!"

[Hears Isaac cut off the call]

"Very well Clarke, my patience for you is at an end you want to play ball I'm game." [As the rattling recedes]

"Well he's pissed." [Said Karrie]

"Fortify the sectors defenses if there a single one of those creatures near the other perimeter I want to know about it and get the last of the civilians out of here now." [Tiedemann ordered]

Bastian and Matland prepare to set out again.

"Okay they were at the Ishimura now I'm reading them in the mines."

"Where in the mines they're huge?"

"Stross and the woman are in an area deep in and Isaac is close to the hangers… hmm not far off from where Weller was when this started."

"Alright give me a moment."

[Bastian walks over to Karrie]

"Hey how are you feeling?"

"Better you guys going after him?"

"Yeah there's not much we can do; listen you should go before the last transport leaves."

"I'm not going I'm staying and going with you guys."

"Are you sure?"

"I helped them start this and now I'm gonna do anything I can to stop this… beside I doubt Tiedemann would allow agree."

"Okay."

As they walk to the shuttle bay Bastian's vision black out but upon his sight coming back he's finds himself in a dark void, sitting in front of him is a marker and soon the double him comes out from behind the marker.

"Why are you fighting Bastian, it needs your help it must be made whole."

"What are you?"

"I'm your fate… I am you… I am the darkness in your mind."

"Leave me alone."

"What he said is true Bastian, it can give us a future one with no regrets bright future where everything is possible."

"Shut up and get out of my head."

"You can see him again Bastian, you can see both your mother and father again they await you beyond the marker."

Bastian snaps out of it when Karrie lays her hand on his shoulder.

"You okay?"

He hesitates and breaths heavily.

"Yes."

"Are you sure, you looked like you stepped out of your head for a moment."

"Yeah really I'm fine we should get moving."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Affiliation

Bastian is plagued by whispers as they push on, he tries hard to shut them out but seem to get louder the more he does so. He's then overcome with a sharp pain running up his back to the back of his head causing him to shut his eyes tightly then upon opening them he's in a different place, looking around he recognizes his home town from childhood. Bastian is startled when he sees another figure this time not mimicking him but someone he knows is long dead.

"Dad… no go away leave alone."

"You can ignore me all you want but that won't make me go away."

"Why don't go bother Isaac or some other poor bastard on this station."

"Because you are far more interesting than any of these pitiful sub-creatures, many of them are hardly worth the effort."

[Tires not to look at him]

"Besides Isaac is doing so well he doesn't need much attention."

"What?"

"The people here did most of the work as did he but now Isaac will finish it."

"What are you talking about… Isaac he's important to you isn't he… why?"

"Stay alive and maybe I'll tell you."

His vision flashes back to normal upon Karrie tapping his shoulder.

"What did you see?"

"Nothing."

"Didn't look like nothing."

"The marker whatever making us see these things… this time it took my father's form."

"You have to try to block it out I know it's hard."

"I know… are they still heading the same route?"

"Something happened to the women they're with her readings just spiked."

Then Matland intercepts a RIG transmission between Isaac, Stross and Ellie.

"Isaac!" [Ellie screams]

"Shhhh… it's gonna be okay, I promise… this won't hurt a bit." [Stross whispers]

[Ellie struggles against Stross]

"Cross my heart and hope to die…"

"Stross!"

"Stick a needle in your eye!"

"Stross god dam-"

[The RIGLink closes]

"Jesus what the hell did they do to him?"

"I think the real question is what did the marker to him."

They then the screams of miners still trapped in their area along with deep roaring, they run to help them. Upon reaching a corner the see one of them on the floor hanging on to a pipe as something unseen to them snatches him away, they run after him seeing a Drag Tentacle pulling him away into a hole in the wall at the end of the hall. Karrie jumps and catches him before he's pulled inside she pulls with all her might but then he slips form her grasp and he's sucked into the wall. All they hear is him making a bloodcurdling followed by a big splash of blood from the breach.

"Shit!" [Karrie cursed]

"Poor bastard." [Said Matland]

"Help, help!"

They hear another miner in the distance, they run quickly to help but find him being pulled into a hole in the floor by his leg.

"You, you help please help me ahhh!"

"Hold on!" [Bastian yelled]

The tentacle pulls harder at the miner, Matland tries shooting at a glowing bulbous organ at its base. It squeals in pain but pulls the miner down with such great force his arms are ripped from his body by the ones trying to save him. His body disappears in the corruption infested hole below his screams quickly silence.

"Fuck." [Drops the twitching severed arm]

"There was little we could do?" [Said Karrie]

"We're not safe here we have to move." [Said Bastian]

They look behind them as loud roaring moves towards them in the walls.

"Shit run!" [Bastian yelled]

They flee as the tentacles chase them through the mines, as they run Bastian sees the other him standing in every turn.

"That's right Bastian keep running… keep moving towards your destiny make us whole."

Bastian ignores the voices and keeps running, they get separated when two more tentacles try to intercept them. Bastian escapes being forced to run down another path way.

"Bastian!" [Karrie yells]

The rest run for the safe room but Bastian is alone, having reached a service elevator he escapes the pursuing tentacles. While taking a moment to breath sitting on the floor he's startled by his mimicry sitting next to him.

"You're doing good your close now as is Isaac."

"Go away, leave me alone."

"Alone is what you've been most of your life, but don't worry soon we all will be together as one."

"It's Isaac isn't it he created the marker and no you need him to finish it."

"Yes."

[Warps in front of him]

"He shall be the last to be absorbed and we will awake."

"What are you really?"

"Stay alive a little longer and maybe you'll find out… keep going its almost time."

"Time for what?"

"The fruits of all this labor to come to fruition." [Blinks away]

"Bastian, do you read me!?"

"Yes, I read you."

"God, you scared us I patched in but you weren't answering… look kid are you okay?"

"What do… what do you mean?"

"When we patched in you were whispering nonsense."

"I was… never mind about that look I think something big is going to happen soon here on the station."

"What do you mean?"

"The marker in the government sector it's… been talking to me."

Both Karrie and Matland were silent.

"It talks about Isaac that he's important to it, something about him making them whole."

"That sounds like what unitology talks about." [Said Karrie]

"So, your saying Isaac Clarke is being influenced by the marker?" [Matland asked]

"Yes, it pulling him towards it, that why he's been so determined getting here."

"And what will happen if it makes to the marker?"

"That I don't really know… but something is coming and Isaac is the key and the marker is the lock and door."

"Considering what we've seen today it doesn't sound farfetched." [Said Matland]

"I think Tiedemann knew that's why he ordered those subjects to be killed he didn't want any of them especially Isaac reaching it." [Said Bastian]

"So, what do we do Tiedemann is expecting us to kill him."

[The elevator stops and opens]

As he's about to speak he's overcome with a painful jolt in the back of his head.

"Bastian?"

"Stay where you are… I'll find him."

"What Bastian… kid answer me!"

He ignores him and moves forth.

"Bastian what are doing?" [Karrie asked]

"I have to find him it needs him… be patient convergence is nigh." [Speaks in a monotone]

"What?"

"What did he say?"

"He said convergence is nigh… oh my god I think I know what's going to happen?"

"Spit it out then."

"In unitology they believe that all life will return to the marker that processes is called convergence, I heard one Tiedemann's men say that the hordes are moving and gathering… I think they're going to the marker and they're following Isaac Clarke."

"Oh fuck, they're still evacuating civilians if he leads them there they'll be slaughtered or worse they may hitchhike off one of the transports."

"We have to find him." [Said Karrie]

Bastian follows Isaac's path being careful not to get too close to arouse suspicion from Isaac. He soon comes to a corpse on the floor in medical scrubs having been stabbed in the head with a screwdriver, recognizing him

"Nolan Stross."

He looks to the door in the far right, his flashes dark orange.

"He went that way keep following him." [The whispers spoke to him]

"N-no stop it let me go!" [As he struggles to free himself]

"We have waited long and now we shall finally awaken keep going."

He comes to a lift piled with many necromorph corpses, his body acting on its own and having no control he activates the lift and it takes him up. Matland and Karrie try catching up with him but seem to fall behind as necromorphs attack them slowing them down.

"Damn it where did he go?"

"I can't track him he turned off his locator."

"Damn."

Bastian's lift takes him to the top and hears the loud sound of machinery activating, he runs to the source upon opening the door he sees a giant drilling machine preparing to leave the area seeing Isaac board and firing left and right at necromorphs as the lift takes him to the top of the rig. He quickly runs for it as the voices command him to do so, he jumps onto one of the drills tank-like wheels as he holds on the drill drives forwards into the caverns running over and squashing hordes of necromorphs. He begins to climb up the back of the drill with the necromorphs aware of him but seemingly ignoring him as they're only interested in Isaac and Ellie, he continues climbing until he gets to the top of the driver booth. Seeing Isaac, the voices in his head speak to him again.

"Kill him now Bastian, do it now!"

Getting up on his feet drawing his combat knife, Ellie hears Bastian's footsteps above her. She warns Isaac he turns around and looks up and is jumped by Bastian, Isaac struggles to keep the blade from stabbing into his face. Isaac kicks him off, a Puker tries vomiting on him but leans to the side missing him then pushes it over the side.

"Isaac!"

"Stay in there I got this!"

"You die Isaac!" [Bastian snarls]

"Look I don't know who you are or what Tiedemann's told you but I'm not your enemy."

Bastian begins to fight from the inside disrupting the markers hold on him briefly, his vison flashes deep orange with marker symbols everywhere.

"Isaac get away from me I can't contro-… die!" [He slashes at him wildly]

Matland and Karrie emerge from a lift into the caverns they spot the drill moving ahead of them and Isaac dodging Bastian's attacks.

"There they are!" [Matland exclaimed]

Both run along the mining paths trying to catch up with them. Isaac kicks Bastian into the safety railing making him lose the knife, quickly recovering he lunges back at him. Isaac redirects him into the windshield cracking it and startling Ellie. Having hit the windshield hard the dementia was greatly disrupted the marker's control releasing him but rendering him unconscious. Isaac aims his Plasma Cutter to Bastian's head but hesitates to pull the trigger.

"What are you waiting for shoot him."

Isaac notices more hordes of necromorphs sprinting towards them as they continue cutting through the corruption infested mines.

"He's not himself I saw it in his eyes he was aware but not in control of his actions."

"He almost killed you."

"I know but he might be able to help us."  
"Just like Stross helped, did you already forget what he did to me eye?"

"No I didn't forget look just trust me okay if tries something I'll deal with him…"

A few minutes' pass and they finally break through the tunnels, Isaac notices a dead end.

"Whoa… whoa… stop stop!"

"Looks like we reached the foundation pylons of the government sector."

"So how do we get in there?"

"Straight ahead… we do have a giant drill."

"You know I'm right on top of this thing, right?"

"Ellie… Ellie!"

Isaac drags Bastian close to the driver booth then the drill bashes through the wall breaching the sector. Both are launched into the upper balcony, Isaac slowly gets up.

"Holy crap that hurt."

"Well we can compare bruises later but at least we made it right… and this is most defiantly government sector."

[Ellie looks to the front of the room]

"And I bet that marker of yours is behind that huge door over there."

"Well we better move fast those things are gona find a way up the hole we drilled."

"There gotta be an elevator or something that connects these floors, I'm gonna try to get down to you."

"Alright I'll meet you halfway, how's crazy number two?"

"He's still out cold."

"Are you sure about keeping him?"

"No, I'm not but I'll find out soon if he's worth it."

Bastian begins to regain conciseness Isaac has his plasma cutter at the ready.

"Hey can you hear me?"

"Fuck my head…"

"Are you calm and cool headed now or do I have to "take care of you"?"

"Isaac, right?"

"Not surprised you me."

"Look you have good reason to not believe me neither would I in your place but I couldn't control my actions but I was still aware."

"The marker did that to you."

"Yes."

"Issac there a gunship docked here!"

"What… is it damaged?"

"Not that I can tell, Isaac do you hear me we're going to make it out of there alive!"

"One of us is, it's too dangerous for you to stay here Ellie."

"What are you talking about, just get your ass in here I'm starting a system check now."

Bastian gets up and sits on a bench recovering from his episode.

"Okay look stay here I'll be right back."

"Alright."

"If I come back and your nowhere to be found next time if I see you your dead understand?"

"Yes."

Isaac goes to the docking bay nearby, entering the room he sees Ellie in the gunship booting it up.

"Main power on… auxiliary systems booting up…"

As Isaac slowly walks towards her he is burdened by what he feels he must do to protect and save Ellie.

"Isaac what are you doing?"

[Isaac seals her in the gunship]

"Whoa, hey Isaac what are you doing?"

[Preps the gunship to leave]

"Isaac… what are you doing open the door right now!" [Opens a RIGLink]

[The ship starts to detach form its dock]

"No… no… no don't you dare… don't you dare launch this ship!"

[The ship launches and begins to floats away as auto pilot engages]

"Isaac!"

"It's your best chance Ellie, you got life support comms… hey your gonna be rescued."

"You bastard…" [Voice breaks]

"I need you to be rescued… I couldn't save Nicole, but I can save you Ellie so uh… bye."

Regretting his action, he collapses to the floor leaning against the wall. Bastian having recovered enough to walk without having to use the walls for support, gets to the docking bay seeing Isaac on the floor.

"I don't think that's a good idea." [Rises and looks down next to him]

"I can't."

Bastian gets closer.

"Who are you talking to?" [He asked]

"No one… I thought I told you to stay put... never mind."

"Where's your friend?"

"I sent her away."

"I doubt she agreed."

"She didn't but I have to someone is getting away from this alive."

"You're here to destroy the marker?"

"Yes, I destroy it I kill the outbreak… you were sent to stop me?"

"Initially yes… shit Matland and Karrie." [Realizing he forgot about his companions]

"Who?"

"My friends they were with me at the…"

[A RIGLink opens]

"I don't know what providence protects you Clarke but it ends here… ah Private Ryder why is this not a surprise to see you conspiring with this man as I recall your orders were shoot him on sight."

"Sorry to disappoint."

"I take it your handler and the saboteur didn't not make it by their absence… pity my sympathies?"

"Fuck you."

"Well I have two hundred security personnel and every entrance is covered even if you do get in neither of you will get far that being said, Ryder consider yourself terminated my men will kill you as well."

[Link closes]

"I'll help you destroy it but if you haven't noticed the marker has been pulling you here, it wants you."

"I know but I have to destroy if I don't the everyone everywhere will die."

"Let's go then."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Cat and Mouse Part 2

Isaac and Bastian go to the main hall where they're the roars of a legion of necromorphs moving up the path they dug to the sector.

"My god there must thousands of them."

"Yep." [Hands him a plasma rifle]

"You trust me with a gun?"

"Can I?" [Isaac asked]

[Takes the rifle]

"Okay cover me while I hack the door."

Isaac starts hacking the security door, while Bastian keeps a look out he hears the roars getting louder and closer. In seconds Lurkers and Slashers emerge from the breach.

"Shit they're coming!" [Starts shooting]

"Hold on!"

More and more necromorphs come out of the hole with two Brutes behind them.

"Isaac two big ones are coming!"

"Hang on I almost got it!"

As necromorph after another fall to Bastian many keep coming as a horde of Packs enter the fray screeching as they run blindly to them.

"I got it let's go!" [The door opens]

Bastian runs to the door while the Brutes chase after him, he makes it to the door barely as it closes. They hear the Brutes bang on the door but give shortly, as Isaac walks to the stair leading down Bastian stops him when his RIG reads a squadron of security block their way.

"They're waiting for us at the entrance down there."

"How many?"

"I'd say about 10 maybe more heavily armed."

"Okay… any chance you know this place?"

"No I started this morning and for the most was station at the public sector… let me see." [Pulls up a map]

"How does yours work and mine doesn't I think it's because I'm still registered as an employee, guess Tiedemann didn't take me out of the system… okay here right down the stairs to the right there's a security office."

"We might be able to get in through there."

Both go down the stairs Isaac goes to the left stair Bastian the right, they meet on the other side and go down together the center.

"There."

Suddenly the lights turn on blinding both.

"Isaac Clarke, Private Ryder stand down and drop your weapons."

"There go!"

"Open fire!"

Both run to the office door dodge a barrage of fire from Earthgov forces.

"Stay down or they'll see us." [Isaac Whispers]

They sneak past the window as a few troops scan the window with his light and weapon. They use the maintenance crawl space that leads them to the control center without being noticed.

"Dead end this looks like the control center for the defenses." [Said Isaac]

"And there a lot more of course he was lying when he said 200 troops." [Said Bastian]

"I got an idea on how to clear us a path." [Isaac looks a power cell in the wall]

"Dark but in this case necessary, you there are legion of them out and turning off the power will open the doors we through this place will get swarmed."

"Yes, get ready… lights out bastards." [Pulls the cell out knocking out the power]

Soon they hear as the light go out the far doors to the entrance are pried open by the necromorphs.

"Fuck there in fire, fire!" [One of the troops shouted as he opens fired]

Both watch as hundreds swarm in and hearing the troops get slaughtered, Bastian catches sight of a very peculiar necromorph like slasher types. The creature looks up at the window of the control office with its five-glowing eye like bulbs on its head, he gets a sharp pain in his eyes when they seemingly lock sight with each other.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm okay but that thing…"

[RIGLink opens]

"You compromised the compound you idiots… if any of them reach the marker, fall back to the marker chamber we have to seal it off!" [Link closes]

They make their way down to the main hall which is littered with torn up bodies and puddles of blood.

"That did it let's go!"

[They enter the inner lobby]

As they enter Bastian gets a pin from Matland's RIG.

"Matland you thank god your guys are alive."

"Your friends?"

"Yeah they're here in the sector they must have found another way in."

"Look Ryder I can this myself okay you don't have to come with me, go help your friends and get out here."

"What about you?"

"I'll be fine I have to finish this with any luck there should still be transports or shuttles up there near the top of the sector tower."

"Okay good luck then."

"You too."

Bastian and Clarke part and go their separate ways through on of the side doors. Bastian traveled alone through the sector facilities trying to find his friends, while Isaac ventured alone trying to get to the marker chamber. Along the way, Bastian finally gets out of the jamming's range and receive transmissions.

[RIGLink opens]

"Bastian thank god your oaky, we've been trying to get to you but those things breached the sector." [Said Karrie]

"Hey kid you're okay, we saw you fighting with Clarke?"

"Yeah for now but I still feel it it's not done with me yet."

"Where are you now?"

"In a research center near the core area."

"Okay we got you we're heading there now see you soon." [RIG closes]

Suddenly the floor near him is bashed open and a familiar necromorph emerges to fight him again.

"Fuck no we killed we crushed you!"

The Tormentor screams as it attacks him with more ferocity then it did previously, this time its body being much larger having mutated further taking up most of the room. After dealing significant damage to its weak spots it fully climbs out of the floor, Bastian runs out of the room and the Tormentor pursues him. It bashes through the doorways desperately trying to snare him, he periodically fires at the beast barely doing damage to it but merely enraging it. Upon entering a long large corridor, he meets up with his companions losing it momentarily.

"Bastian!"

"Am I glad to see yours guys we have to move that thing is back."

"What thing?" [Karrie asked]

"That thing we fought much earlier."

"Damnit does anything stay dead anymore?"

"Where's Matland?"

"He went to an armory nearby to get more weapons and ammo."

The Tormentor peeks from the doorway and roars as it runs to them.

"Run!"

They run for their lives barely dodging its blows, slashes and snaps from its sharp mouth. They make it up a long flight of stairs up to the high level of the sector tower, both meet Matland half way at the hallway armed with a large rocket launcher-like weapon.

"Duck!" [Fires]

Both drop to the floor as the beast makes it up the stairs and the bolt from the weapon blows the carapace armor off its chest also blowing its right arm off. It falls halfway down the stairs but quickly recovers, as it rises its head slips in two becoming a larger toothed mouth with multiple tentacles swirling out of it.

"Matland another shot from that gun would be nice!"

"It has to recharge!"

"Shit at least its art is exposed."

"Karrie and Bastian fight while Matland waits for the weapon to recharge."

Having gravely wounded it grabs Bastian by his arm, it holds him up to its mouth with the intent of eating him. Karrie takes out her plasma saw and attacks its heart.

"Let… him… go!" [Shouts with each slash]

She then plunges it into its heart cutting into it full speed making it release him but then grabs hold of her instead and throws her violently against the hall. Bastian then grabs the plasma saw still embedded in its heart and continues cutting until he pulls it out making the heart rupture squirting gushing amounts of blood from it as well as making it gag up some of its blood. Finally, the weapon recharges and Matland fires it, the bolt flies directly into the beast's heart and its entire body explodes in many fragments killing the Tormentor for good.

"Fuck me sideways I love this gun."

Bastian gets up and runs to Karrie's aid who was injured by the creature.

"Hey you okay?"

"Is it finally dead?"

"Yes, it is never see it again."

"Good that's a relief… your hurt." [Notices a wound on his right side of his torso]

"Never mind me I'm more concerned about you."

"Your too kind." [As he cleans some blood off her face]

[Laughs]

"Holy fuck guys look at this."

Bastian helps Karrie up and both walk to a large window to find themselves gazing at the marker in its chamber with legions of necromorphs gathering all around it.

"My god that the marker I didn't expect it to be that big."

"Look at them all you really think Isaac made it through all that?"

"Let's hope he did. "

Right then a massive thunderous boom and bright flashes emit from the marker followed by an ear throbbing fog horn sound.

"The hell!" [Matland exclaimed]

"This must be convergence!" [Said Karrie]

The rumbling all over the station becomes more violent as the marker fully initiates convergence emitting an even louder sound as the chamber is engulfed in fire and energy. After the second flash Bastian's head throbs with pain as its influence becomes stronger, he sees marker symbols everywhere on every surface he sees even his friends.

"Bastian what the matter?"

"The marker… it's trying to get in my head again!"

[Hearing voices whisper to him]


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

What Lurks Beyond Convergence

A big flare from the maker breaks the window and a stream of fire explodes inside badly burning one side of Matland.

"Charles!" [Karrie screamed]

Karrie is also knocked off her feet incapacitating her, she crawls to Matland who lays unconscious with seeing his RIG flashing a dark reddish orange she turns him over revealing the left side of his face burned. Bastian falls to his knees as the pain gets worsens, he manages to get up to see his mimicry standing in front of him.

"At last it is here and we have you and Isaac to thank for it, at last we shall awaken."

"No" [Weakly]

"The only step left is to consume Isaac he shall be absorbed and we will be made whole."

He grabs Bastian by his neck choking him.

"You have been a fantastic servant now it's time for you to embrace us, let us in Bastian all you have to is let go cease your struggle."

Bastian's eyes open as if forced then the apparition flows into his body through his eyes. He screams in pain as it invades his body and mind, Karrie screams his name. As it fully enters him he falls to the floor motionless then rises with his eyes sporting an eerie dim yellow glow he begins to walk slowly in a zombie manner. Bastian struggles to free himself again this time having more control he begs Karrie to stop him, she objects believing he can overcome the markers whims.

"Karrie please… get away from me… I don't want to hurt you!"

"No I want leave you… I helped this happen now I will help stop it, I'm not gonna run away!"

He gets closer to Karrie and grabs her by the neck and begins to strangle her, he tires even harder to break the marker's leash.

"No… no!"

"Bastian… fight… I know you can." [Choking and gasping for air]

Her words empower him and finally he starts to hamper the marker's control, he manages to make himself release Karrie who drops to the floor coughing. Bastian holds his head as he and the foreign presence battle for control of his body and mind.

"No, we won't let go of you this time you belong to us!" [Said the whispers]

Bastian is warped into his own mind, as the blinding lights fade out he finds himself in a dark greenish void standing on a platform covered fully in marker symbols. He turns around and his doppelganger grabs him holding him up with one arm.

"You resist, admirable but futile you won't escape us neither will Isaac… he almost near we will feast on his flesh and convergence will be completed!"

He grabs his gun and shoot his double in the face making it let of him.

"Very well you shall perish with rest of them!"

His double blinks to different spots ad Bastian tries to stay away from it as it moves close him. He feels his head ache as it tries to kill him from the inside out, but he fights back his will getting stronger then the binding that try to hold him.

"No… you won't… you won't!"

"You will let me go!"

The marker increases its power as it attempts to control him, he weakens as its grip gets tighter and tighter crushing his mind.

"No… I can't… I won't!"

"Yes, give in Bastian let it flow let it go."

Bastian see his vision begins to fade into darkness, he sees his own memories as if its flashing before his eyes almost hinting at his approaching doom.

"No!"

[His double snickers]

"No… get out!"

With a loud roar, he rises and the darkness creeps away him as if fearing him.

"No, impossible!"

He bends and uses the marker's own power against it launching it by thought at his double which sends him flying, as a last desperate attempt to take him it takes the form of his father again he looks up seeing what he knows as a lie standing in front of a smaller in scale marker.

"You know I never truly loved Bastian you were nothing but a burden, a whiny little weak shit that would never amount to anything!"

Enraged by the pathetic lies of the marker he shoots the hazy imposter in the head making it shatter into fragment of yellow light and the marker too shatters into many pieces. They swirl in the air reform the marker further away from him, as he walks towards it another apparition appears taking his mother's form who hurls even more cruel lies.

"Your father and I we never planned on having you… you were an accident a mistake, looking back now that I realize the worthless thing we grew to be I should've had an abortion."

He shoots the imposter again shattering as before, the marker does the same trying to get away from, this time it sends a shockwave to push him back. This he sees the marker baring small glowing cracks as if its losing the fight.

The apparition takes Matland's form.

"Why did you come back here to Titan… why did you want to become a cop… was it the urge and yearning to be better than cops that failed to protect your father who because their failure he was killed?"

Another shockwave shoots towards him.

"Did you honestly think you would've been helping people being a cop, how pathetic… you share the same naïve delusions as every man and women has becoming a solider and such, and surprise you didn't help any everyone has died because of you!"

Shoots again and yet another appears, the crack on the marker are larger and more form of its surface. Finally, it disguises itself as Karrie.

"Why didn't you kill me, why did you keep me with you afterwards upon discovering I had e a direct hand in causing all this death and strife… just like everyone said you are nothing… you and everything and everyone will soon be nothing as well!"

Bastian punches the false Karrie knocking here back into the marker shatter it and the background of the void, he covers his face as shards fly towards. He gets up and is confronted by a horrific sight, he looks up and sees dozens of planet sized entities with many tentacles swirling out of them like a slowed water fall. Their presence reddens the haze everywhere.

"What how did you…" [Said the beings]

"What… what the hell are you?"

"This changes nothing you've broken our mask but you will die as will Isaac!"

Bastian comes to the realization he stands before the true intelligence and forces behind the marker and that the marker itself its tool and to the master. The red haze clouds and conceals the moon-like beings and a distorted apparition of himself stands before him.

"You must submit you must help them they need us and we need them!" [It screams at Bastian]

A deadly and furious fight ensues as he battles the being that is the embodiment of his own insanity bred by the marker and himself who represent his sanity. Many shadow packs appear to attack Bastian as well as other necromorphs, he quickly dispatches them shooting his dark self momentarily dissipating. The marker then breaks into many fragments as a huge yellow beating heart is exposed, straining his vison Bastian can see in a distance another floating island with Isaac fighting Nicole occasionally seeing the blue flash of his helmet's visor and fire from his plasma cutter. Both Isaac and Bastian fire upon the heart but it recovers pulling itself back together, the doppelganger seizes and throws him nearly over the edge.

"I won't let you take what is theirs, Isaac must be absorbed!"

"Fuck you!" [Pulls himself back up]

His double screams inhumanly as it charges at him, he shoots it in the head multiple times. Each time it takes a hit its entire body becomes more rotted like a corpse another hit cripples it making crakes visible on its body.

"No, we've come so far we can't fail now not to the likes of you!"

"Get used to disappointment." [Fires]

He shatters and the marker's hearts is exposed again, both Isaac and Bastian fire the last of their shots at the heart. Bastian's double recuperates but only too late as their last shots destroy the marker, Bastian's double falls to its knees screaming as its engulfed in a fire and dissolves into ash and ember. Having conquered his insanity and the marker vanquished red haze surrounds him as strong gusts of wind hinder his movements and the entities show themselves again.

"Neither one of you have won nothing but a temporary stay of execution… the time of respite your earned will not last long we will find another way to awaken and we will be made whole… WE ARE COMING… WE ARE HUNGRY… WE ARE HERE!"

He snaps out of it as he's finally free and the pain in his head has gone. He looks around for his friends seeing Karrie in the corner with Matland with her head down on her knees as she rocks back and forth breathing heavily.

[He walks to her carefully and knees to her]

"Karrie?"

She stops rocking and slowly raises her head gazing into his eyes in near disbelief with tears running down her face, she hugs him tightly.

"God Karrie I'm so sorry… I'd never hurt you never."

"I was so scared when it tried to take, when it tried to make kill us."

"It's over now we made it."

"Warning reactor containment destabilized, a reactor breach is imminent… evacuation of all personnel is required this is not a drill." [Said the emergency announcement]

"We're too late the reactor is going critical its gonna blow."

"No there's a hanger up above us we can get out there but we have to quickly."

"Oh, god Charles…" [Seeing Matland's burns]

"He's alive but he got burned bad." [As they help him up]

They move as fast they can to the last level of the sector tower to the private hanger before going up the last flight of stairs Bastian catches sight of Isaac at the bottom of the chamber.

"You both did it… but how is he going to get out of here?"

Right then a gunship bashes through the dome's roof.

"I think he's covered let's go."

"Warning catastrophic failure in reactor containment reactor breach imminent… evacuate immediately."

The entire government sector begins to break up as explosions break out everywhere.

[Matland groans at his burns]

"Hold on Charles we're almost there it's just straight ahead."

They enter the hanger and make their way to one of the shuttles passing many dead necromorph corpses by. Conveniently, the shuttle was already online they get on board and hightailed out of the station. As they speed away Bastian looks to the side window at the doomed station and in the distance the gunship carrying Isaac and Ellie also speeding away, then the station finally explodes destroying everything and leaving nothing behind.

"I still can't believe we made it hard to believe all that happened in one day, it felt like a few."

"Yeah… one hell of a first day at work huh." [Karrie laughs]

"So much for a career in law enforcement… how's Matland?"

"He needs medical attention those burns are severe, second degree."

Suddenly the ship is seized by gravity tethers of a large EarthGov ship.

"What the hell!?" [Karrie exclaimed]

"What now?" [Bastian thought to himself as the ship is pulled into the larger one's hanger]

 **What Lurks Beyond Convergence**

 **-Bad Ending-**

 **-I wanted to make a good/bad ending sort of thing since I never done so before, so I went and did it enjoy!-**

A big flare from the maker breaks the window and a stream of fire explodes inside badly burning one side of Matland.

"Charles!" [Karrie screamed]

Karrie is also knocked off her feet incapacitating her, she crawls to Matland who lays unconscious with seeing his RIG flashing a dark reddish orange she turns him over revealing the left side of his face burned. Bastian falls to his knees as the pain gets worsens, he manages to get up to see his mimicry standing in front of him.

"At last it is here and we have you and Isaac to thank for it, at last we shall awaken."

"No" [Weakly]

"The only step left is to consume Isaac he shall be absorbed and we will be made whole."

He grabs Bastian by his neck choking him.

"You have been a fantastic servant now it's time for you to embrace us, let us in Bastian all you have to is let go cease your struggle."

Bastian's eyes open as if forced then the apparition flows into his body through his eyes. He screams in pain as it invades his body and mind, Karrie screams his name. As it fully enters him he falls to the floor motionless then rises with his eyes sporting an eerie dim yellow glow he begins to walk slowly in a zombie manner. Bastian struggles to free himself again this time having more control he begs Karrie to stop him, she objects believing he can overcome the markers whims.

"Karrie please… get away from me… I don't want to hurt you!"

"No I want leave you… I helped this happen now I will help stop it, I'm not gonna run away!"

He gets closer to Karrie and grabs her by the neck and begins to strangle her, he tires even harder to break the marker's leash.

"No… no!"

"Bastian… fight… I know you can." [Choking and gasping for air]

Her words empower him and finally he starts to hamper the marker's control, he manages to make himself release Karrie who drops to the floor coughing. Bastian holds his head as he and the foreign presence battle for control of his body and mind.

"No, we won't let go of you this time you belong to us!" [Said the whispers]

Bastian is warped into his own mind, as the blinding lights fade out he finds himself in a dark greenish void standing on a platform covered fully in marker symbols. He turns around and his doppelganger grabs him holding him up with one arm.

"You resist, admirable but futile you won't escape us neither will Isaac… he almost near we will feast on his flesh and convergence will be completed!"

He grabs his gun and shoot his double in the face making it let of him.

"Very well you shall perish with rest of them!"

His double blinks to different spots ad Bastian tries to stay away from it as it moves close him. He feels his head ache as it tries to kill him from the inside out, but he fights back his will getting stronger then the binding that try to hold him.

"No… you won't… you won't!"

"You will let me go!"

The marker increases its power as it attempts to control him, he weakens as its grip gets tighter and tighter crushing his mind.

"No… I can't… I won't!"

"Yes, give in Bastian let it flow let it go."

Bastian see his vision begins to fade into darkness, he sees his own memories as if its flashing before his eyes almost hinting at his approaching doom.

"No!"

[His double snickers]

"No… get out!"

Having failed to overcome his own insanity the marker takes him. Bastian falls to the floor motionless as he lays in a dark void as crimson marker symbols snow down on him.

"Yes, give in just let go we will do the rest… you've worked hard Bastian now it's time to rest and be reborn."

Bastian's eyes finally close.

"Rise Bastian rise and find Isaac… find and kill him make us whole."

His eyes open seeing everything in a reddish orange vision, making monstrous noises. He looks towards Karrie who sits distraught at Matland who appears to have died from his burns, she looks to Bastian and begins to cry in horror.

"No Bastian… no, no, no!"

Karrie having lost all hope runs away back into the facility, Bastian seems to ignore her and enters a vent before he stops for a moment and looks briefly at Matland's corpse. Later as Isaac runs being chased by the Ubermorph on his way to the marker, suddenly a vent in front of him bursts open as another necromorph emerges. Isaac sees a fragment of armor daggling from its upper arms and can barely read it but upon focusing he learns a horrible truth, he sees a name on the shoulder plate.

"Oh, my god… Ryder!?" [Shocked]

Realizing Bastian has been consumed by the marker and had become a second Ubermorph making two problems that stand in Isaac's way to Nicole and the marker. Isaac who aims for him still shocked by what happened to Bastian as he sprints to him arching his upper pincers to attack Isaac.

END


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Revelation

Having been intercepted by EarthGov Bastian and Karrie are apprehended being quarantined in a med lab, after going through a myriad for tests and bio scans they're escorted to locked quarters. Not having a say and nothing better to do both take the time to rest after their ordeal, hours later Bastian wakes and is startled when the door opens as a man enters carrying a covered plate and a canned drink. The man places the plate on the table in the rooms center and leaves without saying a word, Bastian gets out of bed and walks to the table and uncovers the plate revealing scrambled eggs, bacon and toast. He sits down at the table, grabs the fork and starts eating as he hasn't eaten since before the outbreak began.

"Enjoy that, did you?" [A man enters his room]

"Who are you and where are we?"

"I must first apologize for the "rushed and rough" interception but we had to acquire you before anyone else did."

"Would those other people happen to be unitologists?"

"Exactly we knew they directly had a hand in unleashing the Sprawl outbreak."

"Mind telling me who you are?" [Bastian asked]

"Yes of course I'm Nick Rodriguez of EarthGov's defense council… please walk with me."

[They leave Bastian's room]

"Where are, we going the computer in my room showed we're going into deep space?"

"You'll see soon enough we're just about there."

[Both continue walking down the hall]

"Your friend Matland is doing well by the way, he won't be fighting anytime soon but he'll make it."

"Thank you we were worried."

"He was lucky."

"Exiting shock space in 3… 2… 1…" [Ships computer]

[Both walk to a nearby observatory]

"Ah, we're here…"

Bastian looks out at massive station circling around a lone moon guarded by fleets of EarthGov battle ships. Later Bastian is reunited with Karrie she accompanies him and the councilor as the ship docks with the station.

"Hey are you okay?"

"Yeah, slept well."

"We deserved it after all that."

"Have you seen Charles?"

"Yes, he's okay he'll make it."

"Where are we?"

"This is Crypto Station… the very existence of this place as well as what goes on here is classified at the highest levels… so high that everyone here from every soldier, staff, scientists everyone stationed here has been threatened with treason should they ever disclose any details about this place." [Rodriguez explains]

"So, what exactly goes on here that it needs to be kept out of the public eye?" [Asked Karrie]

"Research specifically into the this moon."

Bastian looks up at the upper view of the moon's surface.

"Something special about it?"

"Yes… what your about to see inside may prove difficult to understand, hearing maybe more so."

[The ship docks]

"This moon was discovered 50 years by EarthGov deep space survey teams… they came across this moon which per them was rich in resources and useful elements… however when they started digging into the moon they made a frightening discovery."

"We're listening." [Said Bastian as they board a ride that takes them into the facilities built into the moon]

"Deep beneath its surface was petrified organic matter of course initially they thought they discovered some fossilized alien remains but when they examined it closer they found that the entire interior of the moon was the same… they went even deeper and eventually discovered gigantic organs."

"What are you saying this moon was alive like it was living creature?" [Asked Karrie]

"That's exactly what I'm saying, they sliced open one of them and it was indeed a heart the size of a planet cracker… one of our more recent discovers was the creature's brain."

The ride stops as they enter a crossover tube network that takes them into the moon, they look seeing what seem to be giant bones, other organs and arteries connecting to them.

"Most notably what it did yesterday when the marker triggered its final stage."

"Convergence." [Said Bastian]

"Yes, upon its initiation over lightyears away across space the signal, the brain sensed it… it sprung alive moving and pulsating as if it was trying to function."

"This is a lot to take in… and I thought I was imagining it."

"You saw something didn't you while you were trying get off the station?"

"Yes, the marker tried to make me kill Karrie but I fought back and… somehow, I broke through and shattered their mask as they called it which was hiding their true nature… they looked exactly like this."

"How did this one die?" [Karrie asked]

"From what we can tell this one had died in battle likely with an alien race and somehow, they managed to kill it with some type of weapon judging from the very large crater at its top it was strong enough to kill it in one shot but it seems they lost the fight too, perhaps their last act of defiance."

[A tall man enters the chamber]

"Something big is on the horizon and its moving towards us, what you encountered on the Sprawl was proof of that."

"General Titan I remember you."

"Yes, we met briefly, to be honest I'm impressed you made it."

"Thanks."

"We'll be blunt with you two we need your help." [Said Rodriguez]

"Why us, just because we survived?" [Bastian asked]

"We need as much people with experience in this as possible, we already have Gabe Weller."

"He's okay?"

"Yes, he's been recovering since yesterday he was evacuated with the civilians on Titan and brought here." [Said Titan]

"Currently Mr. Weller is in surgery, he's being outfitted with a prosthetic leg so he can walk again."

"So why not look for Isaac?"

"We would if we could find him but he's gone off the radar we're trying to look for him but he's proven determined to stay hidden, I don't blame him given was done to him to learn more about the markers." [Said Rodriguez]

"Instead we have you two, you both are prime recruits you've seen how these necromorphs act your familiar with these things you, Karrie and Gabe are the best bets we have right now." [Titan stated]

"I take it we don't have a choice in the matter."

"I'm afraid whether you like it or not you both are being conscripted."

"Conscripted into what?" [Karrie asked]

"An agency called TEDA, General Titan here is its director." [Said Rodriguez]

"Never heard of it." [Said Bastian]

"I'd be surprised if you ever did, TEDA stands for Terran Elite Defense Agency up until 6 months ago, the agency was off the books and operating in the shadows… the agency only recruits the very best to stand in defense of humanity and you both are what we need." [Titan explained]

Bastian and Karrie look to each other with uncertainty.

"I'm in… I helped them start all that chaos maybe with doing this I can atone for it." [Karrie answers]

"So am I… a lot of red flags are going up in my head right now about this but I can't in good conscious just walk away and pretend this isn't happing of course, like you said neither of us have choice." [Bastian agrees]

"I'm glad you see the picture… both of you are doing the right thing for all humanity, these beings what some of the staff are coming the Brethren Moons are the biggest threat we've ever faced." [Said Titan]

"If tough times are ahead we'll need to stick together." [Bastian stated]

"Precisely, for the time being this station and the USM Avalon's Approach will be your home my men will escort you back to the ship… get some rest for now you've both've been through a lot." [As Rodriguez leaves]

Back on the USM Avalon both are lead back to their quarters.

"Alright you guys have free-run of the ship and station updates have been installed on your RIGs that'll inform you if you wonder into any restricted areas as well as inform us if you don't heed its warning, Titan will contact you directly when your needed understood?" [Said the TEDA agent]

"Understood." [Both]

"Good, have a nice day and welcome to the agency."

[The agent leaves]

"Some life we have huh?" [Said Karrie]

"Defiantly."

END of Titan Chronicles


End file.
